Current communications networks throughout the world have embraced the use of optical fiber waveguide technology to provide a conduit of transmission components for voice, video, and data signals. Optical networks offer far greater bandwidth and reliability than do conventional electronic networks. As a consequence, current research efforts have been directed to expanding the capabilities of optical waveguide technology at reduced cost to aid in the acceleration of the conversion of the present electrical communications networks to optical communications networks.
Optical communications networks contain many different components. These include, but are not limited to, optical fiber cable, switches, attenuators, couplers, and many more such devices. Typically, these devices are comprised of a core surrounded by a cladding material. Both the materials used for the core and the cladding include silica or doped silica as well as many other similar materials. These materials are employed because they have a desirable index of refraction and as well as other properties which facilitate their use.
Even though current materials used in constructing the core and the cladding have many beneficial properties, it can be desirable to manipulate the properties of such materials to control the direction of the propagation of laser radiation through a network of waveguides. Specifically, it is often desirable to switch the propagation of a light wave from one waveguide to another. Consequently, there is a need for optical structures that facilitate the switching of optical signals between optical waveguides.